Auxiliary valve for locomotives



June 24, 1930- F'fw. EDWARDS 1,758,515

AUXILIARY VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 18, 1919 '4 Sheets-Sheet l J1me 1930- F. w. EDWARDS AUXILIARY VALVE FOR LOCQMOTIVES June 24, 1930. F w.EbwARDs I 1,768,515

- AUXILIARY VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 18, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet Z June 1930- F. w. EDWARDS AUXILIARY VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 18, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet W .n 0 m 0 ii a I IV.-

Patented June 24,1930

Enema: w. nnwiutns; on onrcneo, Inmnoaanssmnonmo IDH-E onmAeomr-nnaonron 3 AUXILIARY {VALVE non .noconomrvns a ncatm filed December 18, 1919. Seria1 No. 3.45,84'0.

The objectof this invention is to prevent theiformation of a-vacuum in the steam cyhnders of a locomotive when slowing down or drifting for a stop or 'on down-grade, so as to avoid obnoxious and destructive condltions in the cylinders.

In accomplishing this broadly g stated object, the invention comprises, first, --means to furnish, preferably automatically, a supply-of steam to the cylinders when themarn steam valve is closed and the "locomotu e 1s "in motion; and, second, to take 'thesteam'supply away from the cylinders when the locomotive .comes to a stop; this operation also being by preference performed automaticall- Air is used, by preference, as the active agent for operating the mechanism, and it may be and preferably is rendered'actrve by connection with or the movement of "the throttle lever of the locomotive.

The invention is susceptible of a great ya riety of mechanical and operative embodiments, but its principle will he explained here for the sake of conciseness by reference to a low only of'such -embod-iments,andthen will be particularly pointed out'in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the invention, in the severl ffigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is an end elevation ofa locomotive boiler, and Fig. 2 is a side-elevation 'oft he boiler broken away in two places. Fig. 8 'i's a longitudinal section on a larger scale of the drifting valve. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, also'o'n a'larger scale,'showing the control valve for the drifting valve, but. reversed with relation to Fig. 2, and also showing in cross-section the construction of the cam-like operating lever." 5 is an elevation ofthe valve of Fig. 4 arranged as in Fig. 2, and showing thethreepositions off the throttle 'lever and the operating shoe thereon. Fig. 6 is an elevation illustrating a modified form of the control valve lever diagrammatically the operand showing at-i-ng shoe. ig. 7 is an elevation'o'fthe con trol valve showing another formof'operat ing lever and also showing in :section an alternative form of-mean'sfor operating-said I mentioned.

boiler.

lever. Fig. 8 is a "front elevation of partsof Fig. '7. 'Fig. T9 is an elevation ofa modified arrangement of the drifting steam pipe.

Fig; 10 isalongi'tndinalseetion on'a larger sca le, wlrieh rep-resents the construction of the aftermentioned check valves 13, 84 and 86.

The invention 'as herein illustrated is designed for application to a locomotive -h'avlimited. V I p "The fire-box 1, boiler"2, cylinder 3,.steamchest 4, main steam pipe '5, throttle valve '6,

ing a steam sr rperheater, but is not .50 y

throttle-lever 7 and main steam valve '8,

may be and are here shown as of any ordinary or approved ftype. the locomotive which would appear in so much thereof as 'is shown in Figs. 1 and '2, also may be of any, usual or approved (construction.

"The ma 'in steam valve has a pipe'9 leading i therefromtoa-tee '10 from which branch pipes l l lead to {the pipes 912 which communicate with opposite ends of the cylinders, and these pipes may "have in them .the check valves 13 shown in detail section in Fig. 10,

and operating to admit steam to opposite ends of the cylinders or their exhaust chambers, and for other 'I -he steam ingwa'lve let, shown in detailin Fig.1 3. This valve-eomprisespa valve casing 15 having a mounting *l-u-g' 16 :to engage abracket 17 by which the valve may Thecasing "15 also "has the opposite n pples 1 8 to which the partso'fthe steam pipe *9 are-coupled, and'avalveseat 19 in a septum flqrcrossing the casing. 21 is a steam whlch us'i'nclosedin a.hollow Valve'22 valve, which seats directly upont'he seat 19 and the steam val veseats in a iport 23' in said hollow valve. The valve 22-may be off any approved construction, andzis here shown as composedof ashell@{tported'laterztllyas at 25 forthe pas'sageof steam, and a 'cap'265 and it islare l ranged n acup :27'screwed :into the casing 15' and provided with a gland 2'8 for the stem 29 of valve "'21. An air pressure cylinder .530

is'fitted-to ithe .casing1l5' on the, side opposite the valve 21 and has anf'air'inlet 31 and'a The other parts of purposes. "hereinafter pipe -'9 is intercepted by a driftbe mounted upon the drain outlet 32. WVithin cylinder is a piston 33, having a stem 34 supported and guided in the coupling member 35 by which the cylinder is connected to the casing 15, as by a piston 36, here shown as having waterpacking grooves, and this stem 34 is alined with the head of the valve21. The arrangement of the valves 21 and 22 as herein shown facilitates opening when under high steam pressure. The piston stem 34 comes into contact with valve 21 and pushes it from its seat in port 23. As this breaks the seal it is now easier to unseat valve 22," which is accomplished when the rear end .of valve 21 comes into contact brought up against the bottom of cup 27. The passage controlled by valves 21 and 22 is thenfully open. 37 is a steam cylinder connected by the assembly casing 38 with the casing 15 and having a nipple 39 which is connected by pipe 40 with the steam pipe 5 or the steam chest, and also having a drain nipple 41. 42 is a piston in the cylinder 37 and this piston has a rod 43 alined with the valve stem 29. The stem 29 and rod 43 may have the adjustable contact ends 44 and 45 respectively to limit the throw or stroke of the valve and piston.

The cylinder 30 has its air inlet 31 con nected by pipe46 with the automatic air or control valve 47 which, preferably, is located within the locomotive cab and supported on the back head of the boiler,,as by bracket 48. r

Various forms of air valves 47 may be used and some of them will be explained now. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, this valve has a shell 49 with a valve seat 50, like a globe valve, and in which is a valve 51 having a stem 52 guided in a hollow and vented screwplug 58, and a stem 54 extending outside of the shell through a stuffing box or gland 55. The chamber below the seat is in communication with the pipe 46 and the air end. of the drifting valve 14, while the chamber above said seat is in communication through pipe 56 with any suitable source of air pressure, such as the main air reservoir on the locomotive, and hence the valveis seated by fluid pressure, and must be opened by force against this pressure, as will presently appear. The

pipes 46 and 56 may be coupled with the valve shell by any suitable means, such as a headed coupling 57 and nut 58. 59 is an arm extending from the valve shell to which is pivoted a lever 60 which extends into the path of movement of the throttle lever 7. This lever 60 has a stop end 60? contacting- Witli the arm 59 so as to hold the lever in operative position. The lever 60 has an adjustable push-piece 61 arranged in it in line with the extended stem 54 of the valve and upon which said stem rests. This lever 60 has an underside 'cam-likerib 62' deepest near its outer end and merging with the body of with the cap 26 and the valve is the lever nearest its pivot end. On the throttle lever 7 is fastened (as by a bolt, shown in position A, Fig. 5) an operating shoe 63 which, as the throttle lever is moved, comes into contact with the cam-like rib 62 and lifts. the valve 51 through the action of the push-piece 61 on the valve stem 54 to admit air. Thus the control of the mechanism for ultimately preventing a vacuum in the engine cylinders is conditioned upon the movement of the throttle lever.

Referring to Fig. 6, instead of using a horizontally arranged air-valve lifting lever, I may employ a vertically arranged lever 64 having a cam-head 65 and suspended from the valve by a hanger or bracket 66 attached to the valve shell. This lever 64 has a twopoint contact with the operating shoe; that isto say: When the throttle of the locomotiveis opened, the shoe on the throttle lever comes into contact with the lever 64 but passes through its travel without operating valve 51, but on the reverse or closing movement of the throttle lever, the shoe comes into contact with the lever 64 and presses its cam head up against the stem 54 and lifts it and tlereby opens the valve 51 for the passage 0 air.

7 Referring to Fig. 7, the lever 67 is pivoted at 68 to a hanger or bracket 69 depending from the valve shell. The cam 70 is pivoted at71 to the lever and provided with a retrieving spring 72. The lower end of the.

lever has a cross-pin 73 which engages a slot 74 in a cross-head 75 on the piston rod 76 of a differential reciprocating piston mechanism comprising a two-diameter cylinder 77 containing the larger piston 78 acted upon one way by steam from the engine cylinder admitted through pipe 7 9, and a smaller piston 80 on the same piston rod 76 acted upon by airadmitted through pipe 81 which may be connected with any suitable source of air pressure, such as the main air reservoir on the locomotive. WVhen the locomotive is operating under steam, the pressure from the cylinder is always present in the pipe 79, therefore acting against piston 78 to keep it in what is known as a closed position. The air is always present in pipe 81 and against the outside end or pressure end of piston 80. This arrangement of pipes is made so as to have the pressures acting upon the difierent pistons in such way as to meet the requirements of the operation. Thus, when the engine is operating, the arm 67 would be vertical, as shown, and the valve 51 in the shell 49 would be closed, as in Fig. 4. When the engine throttle is closed and steam is taken away from the cylinder, there would be an absence of pressure in the cylinder 77. Under such circumstances, the air pressure coming through pipe 81 would act against the piston head 80 to push the rod 76 to what is termed the open position, as indicated by the dotted lines, thereby operating the lever 67 the cam 0f which serves to open the valve 51 attached to spindle 54, permitting air toflow through pipe 46, which in turn is connected to the air inlet 31 of the air pressure cylinder 30, Fig. 3.' Thiscauses the piston 33 to move to the left, openingthevalve 23 and permitting steam to flow down through the valve body into pipe connection 10 and pipe 11. An intermediate drain pipe 82 is arranged in the cylinder 7 7. This mechanism may be used for operating the air: valveindependently of the throttle lever, When the-engineential mechanism and acting upon the piston 80- forces both pistons outwardly or forwardly and moves the air-valve actuating mechanism into the dotted line position and'thereby opens the air valve. The travel of the pistons 7' 8 and 80 regulates the retrieving position of the cam lever, as will'be understood. c

In Fig. 9 the steam pipe 11 is shown as having a branch 83 entering the engine cylinder J at the center of the piston stroke or travel,

instead of having branches entering opposite ends thereof as in Fig. 2;' and it is also provided with a check valve 84of any usual or approved construction, such as illustrated in n order to insure pressure in the main steam pipe -5 for use in the pipe 40, it may be' found desirable or'convenient to connect the steam pipe 9 directly with the main steam pipe 5 by means of a branch pipe 85, having a check valve 86, Fig 2, one form of which is shown in detail in Fig. 10. A similar branch pipe may be used in the modification shown in Fig. 9.

It is to be understood thatthe valve shown in Figs, 4, 5, 6 and 7 may be used in connection with other devices'than that shown in detail in Fig. 3 for accomplishing the object of this invention and for other purposes. These and other variations of mechanism are considered to lee-within the principle of my invention as hereinafter claimed. The operation is locomotive is running with the throttle valve open, the relative position of the throttle lever and the air valve operating lever will be as shown at A in Fig.5, and the air valve will beclosed and the steam chest and oylinders will be receiving their supply of steam.

l/Vhen the throttle lever is moving to closed I cylinders.

as follows 2-WVhen theposition, the relative location of the two levers is as shown at B. In this-position, the air valve operating lever will be'raised by virtue of the action of the operating shoe thereupon and the airva'lve will be opened so as to permit the, air to pass from the inlet side to the discharge side. When. in this position, the air flows into the air cylinder 30 of the valve 14 and acting upon the piston therein, forces the piston rod against the steam control valve 21, forcingzit back against cap. 26 of thevalve22. As these twovalves move to open positionthe' steam valve stem acts against the rod'of; the steam piston, thus forcing: that-piston intooperative position: At: this point .of-n1ovement,the throttle lever:

hastraveled intoithe position indicated at C and the throttle valve is closed, while the iocomotiveis inmotiomthat is to sayv drifts ing, and the automatic air valve is closed; But as the stated operations have opened-the steam controlrvalve, the steam is now: flowingv into andth'rough thepipe 9 tothe tee lO'andthence intothe ends of the; cylinders orthe cavities connected thereto, if the arrangementshown in Fig. 2 be used, or into the cylinders at the center of the-piston stroke or travel, if the arrangement shown-in Fig.9 be

used. This flow of steam 'is'continuo-usa's long as the locomotive continues to drift,'thuspreventing the formation: of azvacuumrin' the When they locomotive comes to-a stop, the pressure'thataccumulates the steam chest: comes back through pipe 40'to the steam end 37 of the, drifting valve; 14, forcingthe piston therein to closed position whichinturn closes the steam valve 21 and the valve 22, thereby cuttingoff: the flow of. steamto the pipe 9 below the drifting'valve.

'At. this: time, all the valvesare in closed:

position and remain sountil'the locomotive throttle-lever; is again'operated. I

As willlbe noted,.the means for operating theair valve or controlvalve 47are. not. poshtivel-y, connected toor with the throttleglever,

andh'enceit is possible to iuse anyconvenient-f substitute, or to use an entirely independent; operating mechanisnn The pressure; employed in this operating valve 47. is, as: stated, air,- and for the passage of this air pressure, nofixed openingor travel. of the control valve is necessary. The-holes. ing of the valve is accomplished by the-air pressure-Ivv-ith' nthe valveshell, and the valve ismade to open against the-pressure yandth'e removal. of the opening force-permits thevalve to close instantly. 1 a

, Such an-air valve made as a separate-struc-- ture: gives great; flexibility in the arrangement oft-he operating parts-but the invention is not 'limitedto a separate structure.

As willbe noted, the closing means of the. drifting valve is positive, and inasmuch; as the-pressure comes from the live steam port in thevalve chamber: of the, locomotive valve construction, pressure cannot accumulate in this chamber, without acting on the closing cylinder of the combination, completely closing the steam line. The piston in the closing chamber is designed to operate before the steam in the steam valve chamber reaches a dangerous pressure, and the closing positively closes the steam line, and such line will remain'closed until the air operating valve is again opened.

When the locomotive throttle is moved to closed position, the steam valve 21 is opened before the steam pressure leaves the locomotive cylinders. This preadmission of steam through the auxiliary steam valve insures the continuance of steam in the cylinders or passages connected therewith until the locomotive comes to a stop. The presence of steam in the cylinders or passages connected therewith prevents the piston thrust from forming a vacuum; and this prevention of a vacuum during the drifting period and when the metal in the valves and cylinders is at a high temperature, prevents drawing in hot gases from the smoke box that surrounds the ex haust pipe, and also from drawing cold air down through the smoke stack that is immediately over the'exhaust pipe. This exclusion of the hot gases and the cold air prevents burning the lubricating oil from the cylinder walls and valve bushings, and, hence, prevents carbon formation. The absence of carbon formation avoids rapid wear on the cylinder packing rings and cylinder walls, and the piston heads, piston rods, piston packing rings, valve rings, and valve chamber bushing, with a resulting increase in efficiency and decrease in maintenance cost.

When a locomotive comes to a stop, the auxiliary pressure must be shut off from the steam chest, cylinders and passages connected therewith; and this must be or preferably is accomplished mechanically rather than manually. The closing means used operates to shut off the auxiliary steam supply as soon as a predetermined pressure accumulates in the live steam chamber and the steam chest. And this predetermined pressure is within the limits ofsafety. With the auxiliary steamsupply shut ofi, there is no more accumulation of pressure in the live steam chamber of the steam chest from the auxiliary steam valve.

' Referring to the arrangement of air valve shown in Fig. 6, it will be noted that the actuating lever 64% while detached from the throttle valve yet comes under the operative influence of the throttle lever when moved from an open to a closed position, the closed position being indicated at D and the open position being indicated at E, the throttle moving on the straight line F. The lever 64 drops to vertical position by gravity when not influenced by shoe 63. There are three positions of the cam shown, the central or full line position being the normal position with the valve closed, and the left-hand dotted position being the one that will effect the full open position of the valve with the cam ready to drop back into normal position, and the right-hand dotted position indicates the movement when the throttle valve has been moved to full open position, the cam lever being ready to drop back into the full line position. Vith this arrangement, the throttle may be operated to full closed or full open position without any extraneous adjustment of the cam member; and it will be noted that the throttle lever may be moved from closed to full open position without operating the air valve.

As heretofore noted, the check valves serve to admit steam into the ends of the cylinders when the steam is passing through pipe 9, tee 10, and pipes 11 and 12, but they also serve to prevent the thrust or back pressure of steam from one end of the cylinders to the other, and they also prevent the thrust or back pressure of steam back against the pipe 11, when the locomotive is in operation.

The differential reciprocating piston shown in Fig. 7, functions with the combination pressure valve of Fig. 8, and is a substitute for the control valve of Fig. 4, as is evident from the preceding explanation.

What I claim is 1. In a drifting valve mechanism, a casing adapted to be connected with a steam boiler at one end and with the engine cylinders at the other end, a valve seat interposed between the two ends, a hollow valve cooperating with said seat to permit and cut off passage through the seat, a valve arranged Within the hollow valve and adapted to open and close in the same direction as the hollow valve, an air-driven piston having a stem extending into the casing to contact with the valve in the hollow valve to unseat it to permit passage of fluid through the casing, said enclosed valve having a stem extending outwardly, and a steamactuated piston arranged in a cylinder connected with the casing and having a stem adapted to be brought into moving contact with the stem of the enclosed valve to close both the hollow valve and its enclosed valve.

2. The mechanism described in claim 1, combined with an air valve in piped connection with the air piston.

3. In a drifting valve mechanism, a casing adapted to be connected with a steam boiler at one end and with the engine cylinders at the other end, a valve seat interposed between the two ends, a hollow valve cooperating with said seat to permit and cut off passage through the seat, a valve arranged within the hollow valve and adapted to open and close in the same direction as the hollow valve, an airdriven piston having a stem extending into the casing to contact with the valve in the hollow valve to unseat it to permit passage of fluid through the casing, said enclosed valve having a stem extending outwardly, and a steam-actuated piston arranged in a cylinder connected with the casing and having a stem adapted to be brought into moving contact with the stem of the enclosed valve to close both the hollow valve and its enclosed valve, combined with an air valve in piped connection with the air piston, said air valve adapted to be located on a boiler having a throttle valve lever, and means interposed between said air valve and said lever to open and close the said air valve.

4. In a drifting valve mechanism, a vertically arranged casing having a transverse septum ported horizontally, a hollow valve adapted to cooperate under pressure with said ported septum, a valve enclosed in said hollow valve and reciprocable therein first to admit pressure into the hollow valve and sec- 0nd to cause said hollow valve to cover and uncover the port in the septum, a cylinder fixed to the casing at one end and containing an air-actuated piston, said piston having a stem projecting into the casing in alignment with the enclosed valve and adapted to unseat it and thereafter cause it to act uponthe hollow valve to unseat that valve, a steam cylinder and piston therein rigidly connected with the casing on the side opposite to that on which the air cylinder is fixed, a stem on the enclosed valve projecting outside of the casing and a stem on the steam piston likewise projecting out of itscylinder in alignment with the projecting stem on the enclosed valve, and means to supply air to the air cylinder and steam to the valve casing and steam to the steam cylinder.

5. The mechanism claimed in claim 4, combined with a locomotive boiler, its steam chests and cylinders, its throttle lever and its air supply, and means to connect the casing with the boiler and its cylinders, a control valve connected with the air supply and with the air cylinder, means interposed between v the control valve and the throttle lever to effeet the opening and closing of the control valve, and means to connect said steam cylinder with a live steam supply of the boiler.

In testimony whereof I have. hereunto set my hand this 9th day of December, A. D. 1919. a

FRANK W. EDWARDS.- 

